Seneca Environmental’s Post

Solar grazing has multiple benefits for renewables operators and the environment – but even more for farmers. In times when farmers struggle with volatile agricultural prices, solar companies can provide a stable income. "You're getting paid to graze your sheep," as one farmer put it.   The Washington Post visited Enel's Azure Sky solar-plus-storage plant in Texas to explore how solar grazing and the broader concept of agrivoltaics are helping farmers and changing the solar industry. 👇

Long known as a major energy producer, Texas now leads the nation with the most installed utility-scale solar capacity with no sign of slowing down. As these large solar farms increase around the state and the country, many solar developers are increasingly partnering with farmers who use their flocks of animals as a vegetation management tool, like JR Howard of Texas Solar Sheep. With a grant from American Farmland Trust's Brighter Future Fund, JR was able to expand his flourishing solar grazing business—a growing opportunity for farmers who work in tandem with solar developers to graze their animals under arrays. Done well, this practice can help increase soil quality, sequester carbon, and decrease operating and maintenance costs for solar developers. #Texas #solar #solargrazing #smartsolar

Reliable and sustainable electricity is a necessity that many Kansas farmers need for their daily operations. Learn more about why farmers are migrating to solar energy solutions. #solarenergy #farming #farmers #agriculture #energysolutions

https://lnkd.in/e3a9w-HZ Mutual benefit to both solar energy producers and farmers should be the driving motivation for investments into agrivoltaics.

This illustrates the growing adoption of solar in the commercial farming industry. At Solargik we support agrivoltaic solar over the fields, not just on the farm and processing buildings! See you all next week at RE+ (davidm@solargik.com)

This article also shares some shortcomings of green energy that we need to help figure out as well. Something must be done to preserve the soil underneath. #climateimpact #solarenergy #solar #agriculture #farming #sustainabledevelopment #environmentalsustainability

Love seeing more research and investment in Agrivoltaics. This is essentially combining solar energy installations with cattle grazing operations. This combo helps preserve agricultural land and traditions; benefits cattle health; generates additional income for ranchers, farmers, and landowners; eases barriers to solar energy deployment while helping decarbonize the grid. Here's info Dept. of Ag "Lasso Prize." The $8.2 million Large Animal and Solar System Operations (LASSO) Prize is an opportunity for stakeholder groups to develop and deploy solar cattle grazing by building pilot sites and sharing info on leading practices, costs, and energy and agricultural outcomes. Applications for Phase 1 of the prize are due on Mar. 6, 2025. #USDA #energy #ruraldevelopment #ruralcommunities #agrivoltaics #solar #cleanenergy

Sol Systems, a national renewable energy company, has announced its latest project in Saline County, Illinois - Eldorado Phase II. Once completed, this phase will increase the overall project's capacity to more than 300 MW, making it one of the largest combined solar and crop cultivation projects in the US. To try and advance environmental innovation through large-scale solar projects, Eldorado Phase II will utilize Kernza grain cultivation, pollinator-friendly vegetation, and a variety of local educational and community impact programs. Part of the solar project will be used to grow and harvest Kernza, a perennial grain known for its ability to sequester carbon and improve soil health. It will be cultivated, harvested, and then supplied to local partners to support local businesses. Additionally, the Eldorado Phase II project will create a pollinator-friendly environment around the solar arrays, incorporating a mix of grasses and wildflowers to promote healthy ecosystems and contribute to the biodiversity of the region. This project will also participate in Sol Systems’ research partnership with the American Farmland Trust to study soil health and the benefits of perennial vegetation. The project is expected to be completed in 2025. To save energy & cost for your business, contact me at https://buff.ly/2EjAMbu. #Reliability #EnergyStorage #EnergyEfficiency #Renewables #EnergyAudit #Procurement #Resilience https://buff.ly/4b4S8Fa

Environmental impact assessments should have less red tape! #solarsolutions #solarpanels #solarinverters #solarbatteries #solar #solarpv #hybridsolar #gridtiedsolar #batterybackupsolar #offthegrid #loadshedding #greenenergy #sustainability #renusolar

That's an interesting initiative! Combining solar panels with agricultural land can maximize land use efficiency and provide benefits like shade for livestock. It's great to see innovative approaches to renewable energy and agriculture coming together. #renewablenergy #agripv #agriculturalengineering #agriculturelife #solarenergy #pvmodules #pvanlage